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UN chief calls for global community to ‘shield reporters’
Marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on Wednesday, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, called on governments and the global community to take necessary steps to shield reporters from imprisonment, violence and death.
In his goodwill message, Guterres noted that a free press remained vital to functioning democracy, exposing wrongdoing, navigating the complex world and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said more than 70 journalists have been killed this year simply for fulfilling this role in society. “Most of these crimes go unsolved,” he added.
He also noted that a record number of journalists are incarcerated today, while threats of imprisonment, violence and death keep growing.
“As we mark its 10th anniversary, I call on governments and the international community to take the necessary steps to protect our journalists. We must end a common culture of impunity and enable journalists to do their essential work.”
According to the International Press Institute (IPI), in 2021 alone, 45 journalists were killed across the world, 28 slain in retaliation for their work, three killed while covering armed conflicts, one assassinated in line of duty, two died while covering civil unrest, and 11 deaths are under investigation.
The top four nations with the most killings of media practitioners in the year under review were Mexico (seven), Afghanistan (six), India (six) and Democratic Republic of Congo (three).
Meanwhile, UNAMA said Wednesday that human rights abuses of more than 200 reporters in Afghanistan have been recorded since August 2021.
“Record high numbers include arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment, threats and intimidation,” UNAMA tweeted adding that “media in Afghanistan is in peril”.
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Russian foreign minister urges diplomatic solution to Kabul–Islamabad tensions
Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said during a telephone conversation with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate, that differences between Kabul and Islamabad should be resolved through political and diplomatic means.
According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two sides also discussed the prospects for reducing military and political tensions in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
During the call, the Russian foreign minister also discussed the regional situation, including the negative and destabilizing consequences of the recent attacks on Iran.
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Afghans rally across provinces to condemn ongoing Pakistani airstrikes
On the ninth day of continued airstrikes by the Pakistani military regime on parts of Afghanistan, hundreds of residents of Kabul gathered at Eidgah Mosque to condemn the attacks and the killing of civilians.
These protests were also held on Friday in several other provinces against the ongoing Pakistani airstrikes.
The protest gatherings, in response to what is perceived as a violation of Afghanistan’s national sovereignty, carried messages condemning the attacks and supporting the legitimate defense of the Islamic Emirate forces.
The organizers stated that the people of Afghanistan are united against any form of aggression and will defend the country’s territorial integrity alongside the security forces.
Protesters also called on the people of Pakistan not to remain silent about their government’s attacks on Afghanistan and to prevent further assaults by condemning them.
Participants expressed support for retaliatory actions by the Islamic Emirate forces and emphasized that they will stand alongside the country’s military if necessary.
One of the organizers of the march said, “We call on the international community and Islamic countries to stop Pakistan’s military aggression.”
Another organizer stated, “Afghans have never bowed to anyone in history and have defeated superpowers.”
Meanwhile, participants, chanting slogans such as “Death to Pakistan” and “Long live the legitimate defense of the Islamic Emirate,” urged the international community to take a stance against what they call violations of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
A participant in Kabul emphasized, “We will not allow anyone to trespass on our land.”
This protest in Kabul sends a clear message to Pakistan: the unity of the Afghan people and their joint defense alongside the security forces of the country’s territorial integrity against the Pakistani military regime.
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Spread of war to Gulf nations condemnable, must be stopped: IEA FM
Amir Khan Muttaqi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said in a telephone conversation with Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, that the spread of war to Gulf countries is condemnable and must be stopped.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi emphasized that the Islamic Emirate considers respect for national sovereignty, national security and the territorial integrity of countries to be an important principle, and prefers diplomacy to resolve problems instead of escalating violence.
Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said the region is going through difficult times, adding that Iran has launched ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles toward Qatar, most of which were intercepted.
He stated that Qatar is a land of peace and has always emphasized the peaceful resolution of conflicts around the world.
During the telephone conversation, the two sides also discussed what they described as the continuation of Pakistan’s military regime’s aggressions against Afghanistan.
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